AUBURN, Alabama --Frustrated by an ice-cold SEC stretch that has lasted for most of a month, Auburn is running out of answers.

Handed another chance in a close game, the Tigers' inability to come through in the clutch reared its ugly head again.

Unable to match Texas A&M star Elston Turner in key moments down the stretch, Auburn lost control of a back-and-forth game and fell 65-56 to the Aggies at Auburn Arena on Wednesday night, the Tigers' 10th loss in 11 games.

"We're not a very good team right now," Auburn head coach Tony Barbee said. "I am not being a very good coach with this team. It's just disappointing."

Auburn (9-17, 3-10 SEC) raced out to a 12-0 lead as Texas A&M missed its first 13 shots, but the Tigers couldn't hold on to the advantage once Turner, one of the SEC's top scorers, started hitting shots.

Turner brought Texas A&M's offense back, scoring 21 points and taking control of the game with a 7-point run of his own that turned a 42-41 Auburn lead into a six-point advantage for the Aggies (16-10, 6-7).

Auburn didn't have the firepower to match. Allen Payne scored 11 points to lead the Tigers, but Auburn shot just 37.5 percent and 21.7 percent from 3-point range, problems that have plagued the Tigers all season long.

Barbee, who has been tinkering with the starting lineup and playing rotation throughout the skid, responded to mistakes by making 44 substitutions. Eight different Tigers played 15 minutes or more.

During his post-game press conference, Barbee defended the moves by saying his substitutions were made in direct response to mistakes, citing Auburn's problems with effort.

"That is how I coach," Barbee said. "They've known that since I recruited them. They have heard that since the first day of preseason. The guys that have been with me for two or three seasons have heard it every single game and practice. It is not a surprise."

Three seasons into his tenure, Auburn's slump has raised questions about Barbee's ability to turn around a program that hasn't made the NCAA Tournament in 10 years.

But Payne defended Barbee vehemently in the post-game press conference, saying the responsibility for Auburn's skid rests on the players.

"It's not him, it's not the staff, and we can't blame anybody but ourselves," Payne said. "It comes to a point where it's time to stop talking about it and start doing it."

With five games left in the SEC schedule, Auburn is stuck at the bottom of the SEC, and the Tigers seem increasingly frustrated with each passing loss.

Payne says Auburn refuses to give up on Barbee or the coaching staff.

"As good as they were as players, none of these coaches are out there playing with us," Payne said. "We back Coach 100 percent, and we know he's not going to give up on us, so we're not going to give up on him."

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